Lateral or side channel fuel pumps, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,777, may be used to supply fuel to an operating engine. These pumps utilize a stationary body having a flat face with a circumferentially extending groove or channel formed in the face and communicating with a fuel inlet. A rotor with vanes communicating with the channel is positioned to rotate closely adjacent to the stationary body to move fuel from the inlet to an outlet from the channel with an increase in pressure taking place between the inlet and outlet. The outlet of the channel discharges fuel under pressure which produces forces acting generally uniformly on an upper face of the rotor urging the rotor towards the stator and generating a relatively high level of friction between the rotor and the stator body which greatly limits the output pressure of the pump. Because the pressure of fuel in the channel increases from its inlet to its outlet, fuel in the channel produces a force tending to separate the rotor and stator which varies as a function of the fuel pressure from the inlet to the outlet of the channel. The substantially uniform force across the entire upper face of the rotor and the varied force generated in the channel produces a varied net force across the rotor which tends to cock or tilt the rotor relative to the stator which causes uneven wear of the rotor and stator, decreases the service life of the pump and reduces the efficiency of the pump. Typically, lateral channel turbine pumps are limited to output fuel pressures below 10 psi because of the friction generated between the rotor and the stationary body.